


According to JARVIS

by PunkTart



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Dancing, Fluff, Language, Like Cap would say, M/M, Steve Rogers is a dork, Tony Stark Has A Heart, but i like cheese so hey, but like drunk christmas dancing, i don't know how to use tags, its kinda cheesy, not professional tv dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-07-18 03:37:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7297900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunkTart/pseuds/PunkTart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony finds out that Steve never had his last dance date, so he revives an old place up and tries to rebuild a lost memory.  According to Tony, it's not a date but a Friendly gesture, yet JARVIS says differently. </p><p>In simpler words: Tony brings Steve back to an old bar in Brooklyn so he can dance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	According to JARVIS

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, thank you for clicking on this. If you accidentally clicked on it, I still hope you have a nice day.  
> Anyways, here is what I wrote instead of working on my summer assignments for school, or exercising, or sleeping... 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!
> 
>  
> 
> Oh and by the way, it may be really fluffy and cheesy so just watch out.

Staring down at the complicated map that he still couldn't quite register, Steve manoeuvred the Avengers building like a lost dog. It was hall after hall with what seemed like the same picture or vase over and over again, and he found it miraculous that he finally found his way to Tony Stark’s “cave”. Though, Steve couldn’t say he was disappointed or discouraged by his lack of sense of direction, for the prize at the end was more than fantastic. The billionaire inventor was spastically jolting around the room with dance moves unseen -and most likely disapproved upon- by the public. A raucous rock song unknown to Steve was blasting louder than healthy and Tony basically had to run into the super soldier to realise he'd been smugly standing at the doorway.

"Jealous of my moves Rogers?" Tony teased shamelessly, but ordered JARVIS to lower the volume so he could take care of the business Steve had brought down with him. It didn’t seem like he showed any interest though, for he immediately started wandering and poking around his lab.

"Actually the opposite, anyways I ha-“

"Was that an insult I just heard?” Cut off by Tony Stark, the usual. "Rogers, c'mon it's okay to lack a groove,” he provoked, dialling up the music slightly once more and swinging his hips comically in a circle.

"I don't lack a groove, in fact I used to be quite a dancer, just... didn't do it much back then.” Steve crossed his arms, his eyebrows furrowing up in frustration and in defence. He wasn’t sure why, but this silly topic offended him.

"Well it's not back then anymore is it Stevey? So come on then, bust some.” He patted his chest and flared his hands in front of Steve, like a cheesy dance off scene in a teen movie from Disney Channel.

“I do- Look, back then dancing usually involved a partner and-“ Steve leaned down to the other and began to explain himself in a much more civilised manner as Tony, a.k.a. Mr. LetsMakeThisAsDramaticAsPossible popped his imaginary collar and began circling him.

“Well y’got one right here, my body is ready,” he declared and dramatically tossed his head and arms back, jutting his chest out towards the continuously flustered Steve Rogers.

“Tony no- its just that- I only… I don’t know, waited… for the right partner and-“ Great, now he’s just juggling his words helplessly in front of the eloquent and social-fluent Tony Stark.

“Are you saying that I’m incompetent Mr. Captain?” Sire Drama gasped and placed a sassing hand over his arc reactor, giving Steve his best I-can’t-believe-you-just-did-that gaze.

"No, but I just- When I went under I was supposed to… I had a date, dance date and that never happened and… Yeah.” There was no point in lying to the stubborn Stark, so he spoke the truth as it was. It was the last thing he was thinking about when he crashed, and the first thing he missed when he woke up. In fact, Steve never really thought of ever going on any other date ever since he’d been back, or dance again, or fall in love again. He sometimes feels like he didn’t die, but life as in living did.

"I'm sorry Ca- Steve…” Tony knew his boundaries, and he wasn’t going to overstep then with Steve. Yes, his childhood was filled with being inferior to the guy, living in a dead man’s shadow and yes, he did insult him when they first met but he couldn’t blame him. He is quite the charmer -unintentionally- and Tony knows that he himself, Anthony Stark does come off quite harsh… egotistical… narcissistic… anyways the point has been made. Still, he feels sympathetic for him, the guy wakes up centuries later in the future, everyone he knows is mostly dead and his last memories were oh wonderful, bloody war. At this point, Tony realised the extended time of silence and quickly slips a question off his tongue. “Where was your date gonna be?"

Steve sighs gently at the lost memory.

“Probably just some small place in Brooklyn, it’s probably gone by now knowing how quickly this world evolves.” As an example, he subtly turned his hands up to display the tech-ridden cave of Tony Stark.

“Yeah, gosh darn progress right?” Tony cracked, managing a slight and awkward chuckle from the both of them.

There was another silence.

"You had something for me?” Tony once again snapped at the awkward tension, pushing doleful subjects away.

“Yes, uh yeah, just your mail from the box, thought I'd grab it by the way, hope you don't mind,” Steve elucidated his first reason of stumbling into the garage and quickly fumbled with the piles of papers tucked under his arm, his large hands clumsily spilling some onto the ground and he scrambled for them.

"Don't fret Rogers, thanks, you can just put them on the table right there.” It was kind of entertaining to Tony, seeing a giant soldier man fumbling around, so discomposed and embarrassed.

“Alright, here, uh yeah, sorry about that.” Fun fact, Captain America has a habit of pretending to itch the back of his head when he is embarrassed.

“Our friendship is officially ruined by your surprising incompetence to be unerring,” he sarcastically stated, still poking around at his stuff but then realising that the old man may or may not have caught up with the whole sarcasm thing and looked directly at him. “You do know I’m kidding right? It’s a thing called sarcasm, don’t know if you’ve caught on with that yet- I swear if you pull out your stupid little spiral notebook and start writing it down I’m g-"

“I know what it is Tony, its just hard to tell when you do it,” justifying himself once more, he crossed his arms and glared.

“Well, that’s great and all and oh, why would you look at that! Work, so much work to do and I’ve never been diagnosed but I might have this thing where I’m very easily distracted especially when there is gorgeous blue eyed, blonde haired, unexplainably well-built America standing in my work space,” he not-so-subtly hinted at the dismissal of Steve, who scoffed but did agree to finally leave.

“Well, see you.” He put half the effort into his wave, thinking it’d go unnoticed. Halfway up the stairs, Steve hits himself hard before making a u-turn and peeking back into the lab. “Is the elevator to the left or right?"

Tony stared at him like he just asked him how to literally breathe.

“Its straight ahead.” Tony stated. “Man when you think you’ve met the perfect guy."

“Thanks.” With that, he rushed right back up the stairs to escape further embarrassment.

“Welcome.” Tony muttered, even if he knew that Steve had already left.

Steve may have thought that he would be the last thing on Tony’s mind after seeing him in the garage, ignoring him and giving half-assed replies, but all Tony could think of was Steve. So much that for the first time in a while, his work couldn’t even take his mind off of it.

When Tony watched a bunch of soldiers being killed, got captured then forced to build a missile for a bunch of assholes, his last wish was to just stop it. Stop the weapons that killed young soldiers who were protecting him, and simply make his lesson learnt put into effect. When he came back he immediately went to action, turning the business off and all that but Steve, what was he supposed to do? He couldn’t control time to go and do all the undone deeds he had. It must’ve been devastating to be so helpless, its the worse combo that fate and time had ever made.

Tony was going to do something for him.

Now his mind was cranking. First off, whoever he was going to have a date with is probably either dead or too old to boogie, so that part is out of the question, but Brooklyn is still alive and thriving. Even if it’s an abandoned bar, Tony knew he could put his electrical engineering skills to work and quickly fix a place up. As for the music, his dad lived during that time and probably has a couple jukeboxes left in storage so the music is covered. Now, he just has to find a way to convince Steve to drive down to Brooklyn with him at night and enter an abandoned bar. Easy.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tony was jittery for reasons unknown, he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet before his mind literally went ‘eh fuck it’ and he knocked on the door twice.

“Rogers are you ready yet?!” In his most convincing annoyed voice, he yelled through the door. There was some rustling, a couple thumps then the door was swung open in a hurry.

“Ready for what?” Wide-eyed and snug in pyjamas, Steve examined the formally dressed, slick and sharp billionaire standing in front of him, believing that he is either missing or has forgotten something important.

“Hell, look at you you’re not even dressed,” Tony sighed in disappointment, which was of course acting but hey, it was oscar worthy.

“Dressed for what? Tony what’s happening?” Steve was bewildered, and Tony was entertained.

“Just get in the suit, it’s in the closet, my god Steve, do you even have your speech prepared?” Tony almost lost it as Steve’s eyes widen into the shapes of quarters.

“A speech?! I was supposed to write a speech? Wait, Tony please, if this is another one of your jokes I swear-"

“You don’t swear. In fact, you scold us when we do swear so hurry up, chop chop, the others are already headed there."

“But I just said good night to Nat…” This was harder than Tony had premeditated, he grumbled under his breath and masked his unsure stature with sass.

“Well, Nat doesn’t have a speech to make and she’s an old man, got it old man?"

“I don’t even know where we’re going and the speech, what’s it supposed to be about?"

“I’ll tell you on the way, I’m your ride and won’t you just hate making me late too.” Tony’s patience was running thin, he tapped his toe on the floor.

“You’re always late…”

“Only fashionably and you, mister, is burning sweet time here. Fury’s gonna be mad!"

“Wait Fury? What is he-“ As much as Tony is good at thinking on the spot, he couldn’t keep it up forever, especially not with the 3-year-oldesk asking machine Steve could be. Before Steve could pull out another lie from Tony, he spun on the balls of his feet and started down the hallway, leaving Steve bewildered. “T-Tony!"

He simply raised his arm into the air and tapped his wrist a couple times in response, and sighed in relief when he heard a door being closed in a hurry. Slumping against the wall, Tony took notice of how quickly his heart was beating but as Tony does, he brushed it off his shoulders and headed downstairs to the ground floor to wait for Steve. On the way down, he quickly checked himself in the mirror too make sure he was all appealing —though he didn’t know why he decided to check, he was only playing a kind trick on Steve —but again, brushed it off and leaned against the stair rail with panache.

“JARVIS, is the Mustang ready?”

“I started it up as soon as you asked Captain Rogers on a date sir,” the mellifluous AI replied, but the wording tossed Tony off guard and his defences were raised.

“It’s not a date JARVIS, I thought you knew the plan. Did Clint mess around with your programming?” Tony responded quickly and as always, blamed something on their poor friend Hawkeye.

“No one but you can access my coding sir, but technically, according to my programming I have identified your recent interactions with Captain Rogers as an invitation to a date, even if it is through trickery.”

In technical terms, Tony Stark did just tricked Steve Rogers into going on a date with him.

“I try to be nice to someone for once, and this is what I get.” This time, it took longer for Tony to answer, but nevertheless, its nonchalant, or so Tony thinks so.

“I apologise sir; however, you do seem to be quite flustered.” Instinctively, his hand flew up to his face to touch it, finding it to be quite warm and now that he was noticing it, he may have been blushing.

“JARVIS, whatever you are hinting at here, get rid of it. It’s all platonic.” He regretted ever throwing in the last little sentence, it made him sound like a teenage girl trying to hide a boyfriend from her parents— not like that’s the case here.

“As it is, platonic. So, may I identify this as a friends with benefits situation?"

Tony smacked his face with his hand, hard. Hard enough to blend in with the redness his face already was turning and for the first time in a while, he was at a loss of words against his dear AI, JARVIS.

“If you would like me to clarify sir, I may. Friends with benefits is when two people who are engaged in a strictly platonic rela-"

Tony heard footsteps with the tip of his ear and reacted quickly.

“Mute!"

“Tony I’m ready! You still have to tell me what my speech is about and what this is all for.” Steve’s tie was undone, his hands were occupied by desperately combing through his hair to make it more presentable, the shoelaces were wagging all over the place and Tony noticed the buttons on his shirt were buttoned in the wrong holes.

“Wow,” Tony uttered the only word he could think of, and not only because of the mess Captain America was at the moment, but also because the first word that came to his mind when he saw Steve like that was ‘adorable’. After the whole conversation with JARVIS he couldn’t help but be in the mindset that this was Steve, rushing and being all riled up because he was late to a date… with Tony.

“Tony!” Now he was almost whining. “Tony please just tell me what’s going on and let’s go!” Steve looked like a puppy who needed to use the outdoors. It takes a third ‘Tony!’ to snap him out of the trance he was in and almost immediately, he marches over to Steve and pulls the buttons out of their disordered places, surprising the super soldier. He just ripped open Steve’s shirt. “Why did y-! T-Sta-“

And cue the awkward silence.

Tony Stark hated himself. He slapped himself mentally for his impulsive actions which —for the first time— are not accompanied by explaining words. Now, these actions fell into a melting pot with the entire conversation with JARVIS, the whole ‘adorable’ thought and created thoughts that even Tony Stark would count as a sin.

There, he was just there. Standing there, one hand on each side of an opened shirt which exposed the fine body of Steve Rogers. This time, both their eyes are wide open, and Tony slowly rips his gaze from the super soldier’s body and shoves it into his eyes.

At first, Tony’s mouth opens and tries for words, but none come until he coughs pathetically.

“The buttons- They were out of the holes. They were wrong. The buttons were wrong.” Pathetic. That’s all he could describe himself as, the epitome of pathetic. Tony has probably just ruined a friendship, and now every time they do anything which contains the changing of clothes, Steve will purposely avoid him, thinking he’s some weird pervert or something.

“Oh! Why didn’t you just tell me, don’t worry, I’ve got it, thanks Tony,” he thanks him. He fucking thanks him. Tony releases the shirt, dancing on the edge of passing out. “Are you gonna tell me what’s the speech for or are you going to just make me suffer?"

“Let’s go, I’ll tell you in the car.” With that, playboy, billionaire, Tony Stark dashed out, hiding his face and his vulnerability. He couldn’t look at Steve at the moment, couldn’t talk to him either cause his head was being jammed with thoughts, feelings and basically everything Tony tries to avoid. Tony’s back felt cold when he turned it away from Steve, almost like his presence was sending little spiders to bite at his heels as he ran away.

Little did Tony know, Steve was standing behind him with red on his face, thinking that Tony Stark was ‘adorable’.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“So, just convince them that the avengers are here to do good?” Steve was hunched over, scribbling in a small notebook with a Stark Industries pen while Tony stared straight ahead on the road, giving himself all the excuses to not look at Steve.

“Yep, you already asked about 62 times, stop jiggling, you’ll do fine.” Glancing over at the map, Tony caught a glimpse of his finger on the steering wheel and it was tapping out of control. He quelled the movement and felt a surge of nervous energy rush through him.

“Okay, I’m done. I can have this up there while reading it right?” Shifting his weight, Steve positioned himself so that he was leaning against the corner of the door and seat so he could watch Tony drive. Honestly, he’s made so many speeches that he shouldn’t be nervous but this one made his palms itch, mainly because he has to present it in front of Tony who can basically make an award winning speech on the spot.

“There aren’t any rules against it so go bust some.” It’s night, but Tony still has his glasses on, and by now Steve knows that it’s not because Tony Stark has sensitive eyes, but because he likes to be protected behind a mask. To Tony, Steve’s eye contact with the side of his head is piercing right through any mask, and he’s nearly sweating because of Cap’s presence.

“Okay,” Steve sighed, quietly putting the notebook into his pocket. “So it’s all the way in Brooklyn, huh?” He leans back in his chair, finally taking his gaze off of Tony, who lets out an exasperated sigh.

“Steve Rogers, you are literally a 3 year old."

“What, why?” Shocked by the sudden statement, Steve jolts up right in the car, shaking it slightly.

“There you go again, with the questions. If I’ve been counting correctly thats the 98th one you’ve asked."

“I didn’t know I was bothering you,” he says gently, Tony feeling a small ache in his chest for being harsh. “It usually doesn’t. You love answering questions Tony, whether if its sarcastically or seriously you like to give answers. What’s bothering you?"

“Headache.” His answer was quick and insipid.

“That usually makes you more talkative.” He was right, Tony liked to complain.

“Plus fatigue."

“Really? You’ve gone days without sleep and you still manage to build a whole new suit with new features and equations and-“

“Look! We’re here!” Nice. Saved by speeding through the last couple of blocks.

A small building on the corner, connected by two shops that were closed for the night flickered with a little light inside. The neighbourhood was classic, mostly untouched by the new world which means it’s out of business and abandoned. There is still a charm to it though, the cobwebs on the corners catch and hug history, and it doesn’t feel plain due to the years of wear, tear and experience is embedded into the woods of the building.

“We’re having a meeting in there?"

“Yep, change things up a bit, keep it fresh by going old. We’re late!” Before Steve can reply, Tony was out of the car and quickly entering the building in a hurry. Steve huffed, when since was Tony Stark concerned about being late? Just to hop on Tony’s nerves, he purposely moved as slow as his sensible self would allow. Approaching the door, a sense of extremely historical nostalgia touched his fingertips, and he heard music that dragged him into the past.

Now he was skeptical, it may be just a dream or his mind is tricking him, so, he cautiously opens the door. It takes a bit to perceive.

“Took you long enough,” Tony scoffed.

When Steve opened the door, his heart was racing but as his eyes took in exactly what was inside, his heart stopped. There, Tony Stark was dressed keenly and seated casually in the booth directly in front of him. A small candle was flickering in the centre of the table, bringing that one booth to life. The music, it was music of the 40’s, songs that Steve listened to before he was Captain America. Confused, nostalgic, a bit frustrated with Tony and of course, sad, his eyes water and he quickly wipes it with his sleeve.

As for Tony, the door opened to reveal cold outside air and a stunning looking Steve Rogers, his breath was taken away by both. Okay, maybe more so by Steve since he hasn’t really taken the time to look at him with his hair neatly combed and all dressed up in the suit, which he picked out. Proud, indeed he was proud. The suit fit every angle and crook perfectly, each stitch complimented Steve’s fit body and the buttons were perfectly aligned. He was also proud of what he’d done to the place, bringing life back to it and rebuilding a lost memory for Steve, but his thoughts on that quickly took a spiral when he saw Steve wipe his eyes.

Oh no.

Tony’s brain went into a tumble, thinking that maybe Steve doesn’t want to live in the past, and all this just makes him have terrible flashbacks and become extremely sad. What if this memory is only reserved for that one person and now it looks like Tony’s just trying to steal it from them.

He stands and quickly rushes over to Steve.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you upset Steve,” he desperately spewed, fingers twisting into an unnatural, anxious coaster.

“What is all of this?” Steve was gushing the words through his emotions.

“I just revived the place after hearing you didn’t get your dance date, look its a generator powering the lights and I bought the candle of Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Bath, Bed and Beyond— whichever order that goes in— I made waffles cause hell, I’m an awful chef, and holy shit— Steve I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to upset you in any way.” Tony felt so stupid, his hands were unsure of what to do, his mouth unsure what to say, and his body was unsure of where to be.

“You did all of this?"

“Yes, I know, I’m sorry. Also the plates and cups are Banners…"

“Tony…"

“Yeah, I know. I did wrong and I’m sorry okay?"

Next thing Tony knows, he’s being bear hugged by Steve who’s practically sobbing.

“Yep, lets hug it out.” Tony pats Steve’s shoulder. The place goes silent and seconds begin to feel like hours. Tony’s heart was drumming faster than Lars Ulrich drummed, and his body was strained from having to reach up and hook his arms around Steve’s shoulders, which are very, very broad. He can feel the spot where Steve’s face is hidden become wet and that just made him feel like shit. When Tony lets his body slump down a little, Steve easily holds him in place so he stays there, thinking about the mistake he had made.

Why did he ever think it was a good idea anyways, to bring a soldier back to the time of war? It was pathetic, and Tony knows he should’ve at least thought about the psychological effects and just how-

“Tony Stark, he’s a hard one.” Steve began talking, lacerating right through Tony’s train of thought, but the wording tickled Tony’s innuendo detector and he furrowed in confusion. “He’s an egotistical, reckless, and thoughtless narcissist as we all know.”

Tony had no words to say, his throat was dry and blocked with guilt.

“He doesn’t listen to orders, feelings, common sense or anything that most people should listen to.”

His body built tension, teeth grit together and taking these words from Steve feels like the roughest thing he’d had to do.

“But, he does listen to the one thing that makes it all worth while, his heart.”

Already shutting down, a bit of time passes before Tony processes the change of tone in Steve’s monologue.

“He breaks the rules so he can reach above and beyond for something he believes in, and he takes risks because he see’s the worth of what good can come out of it, and is brave enough to face the consequences if it goes wrong. He is generous, hacking into bank accounts to donate money and sacrificing so much of his time to make us, the Avengers have the most stylish and effective gear. And this next statement, it may sound like blasphemy, but Tony Stark feels.”

America forgive him, but Tony almost scoffs at this statement, it was mostly a self-learnt mechanism though. With his throat tight and dry, eyes burning, and a heaviness in the centre of his chest, he tries everything to prevent himself from shedding a single tear.

“Though he doesn’t show it, he empathises and sympathises with people like I’ve never seen, and he goes out of his way just to make something right. He may hide it under all of this cool, billionaire, look, but underneath those sunglasses, he feels. He’s only human, but an extraordinary human who is under appreciated, generous, courageous, heartfelt and who I can call my hero."

‘Hero’.

Steve called him his hero.

Steve pointed all the things that Tony was proud of that has gone unnoticed or unacknowledged. His words almost mend the insecurities that Tony buries deep under his skin, and pulls out what Tony calls, the “deadly miracle feeling”. It’s the feelings that he’s always afraid to show, but when it does it feels so nice while also being heartbreaking. Exposing.

So many good things are buried in the bad, but Steve digs them out and shows them off.

Tony doesn’t look up, he has his face pressed against the front of Steve’s arms and prays that the incorrible tears, wouldn’t seem through the suit.

Time passes in silence as Tony waits for his throat to clear, so he can speak without his voice cracking.

“Was that your speech?” Cursing himself when he hears that his voice is still stuffy.

“You know I never lie in speeches.” It’s true, he never does and sometimes it creates conflict, but Steve Rogers can’t lie for shit.

“I know, but man, that serum enhanced your memory really well,” Tony scoffed, pulling away from the hug but was stopped halfway by the slightest grip on his forearms.

Steve still had words to say, and he needed the full attention of Tony Stark. As for the speech, yes the serum did enhance his memory but this speech, he could recite it in an entirely different way right then and there. Though his “little” speech was long enough to be a monologue, he still had more to say, so he held Tony there, looking at him until they made solid eye contact.

“Thank you Tony."

Those three words may be the rarest words to Tony’s ears, and his heart lurches and the tension returns to his chest. You think Tony —being a super hero— will hear these words enough, but what else can you say to a guy who saves you from a grenade? Not once has he heard a direct thanks from his superiors, his guardians or his peers, so hearing this from Steve stops the world’s orbit.

When someone who you look up to appreciates you for doing something from the heart, it is magical.

‘Thank you.'

“Can we have waffles now?” Like magic, Tony snaps his metaphorical fingers and returns the momentum of the world.

“That’d be nice."

Some of the waffles were undercooked, some slightly burnt but Steve came to the conclusion that it was the thought that counted, besides, Tony looked so proud of them. He said that it was the first time he cooked something that actually looked like what it was supposed to be.

They ate comfortably, Steve astonished at the hefty amount of syrup Tony poured onto his waffles, finding out that the inventor billionaire has quite a sweet tooth. Tony found out that Steve is extremely clumsy with silverware, it seems that after the super soldier upgrades, he had been robbed of time to learn how to use his exponentially larger hands with dainty silverware— now that he thinks about it, he’d only ever seen Steve eat pizza.

In order to make Steve feel less awkward, Tony dropped his fork and knife and eats the waffles like pizza, encouraging Steve to do the same. Tony, being much more reckless and having way more syrup on his waffle ended up with sticky hands, and as we know, syrup and napkins don’t cooperate. So, they entered a moment in which an embarrassed Tony Stark was licking his fingers off with a Steve Rogers watching him, blushing and giggling.

“So, are you gonna show off the moves or what?” Alluding to the first reason why all of this happened, Tony leant back in his booth and sips his wine.

A flush of colour quickly arose on Steve’s cheeks, truth was, he didn’t know how to dance too well. The only reason why he said he did was to stupidly defend his prestige in front of the amazing Stark.

“Tony…” He tried hiding his face behind the glass in his hand. “I can’t really dance, I just felt defensive in your presence,” Steve admits, sheepishly.

“I know.” A complacent smile slanted across his face. “I always know when you’re lying Rogers."

“Oh…” Steve didn’t know what else to say.

“Still, just get up and dance, its just fun. I admit, its a skill I can work on but hey, I still do it,” Tony continued to egg him on, placing both elbows on the table and trapped Steve’s face with his hands.

“But you don’t do it in front of people,” Steve resisted, pushing Tony’s hands away —afraid that he will feel the hotness on his face—.

Tony sighed, leaning back into his booth before handsomely sliding out of the booth, and transitioning into a simple snap and swing dance move. In jocular despair, Steve hides his face in his hands as Tony over-exaggerates each twist and step. A jesting grin plastered on his face, Tony capered across the empty floor and paints it with his presence.

Then, artistically, he swooped over and tried to pull Steve out of the booth, who surrendered to the actions and finds himself alone on the dance floor, and Tony sitting in the booth.

“It’s your turn Cap, shake it.” Propping his head up with his hand and crossing his legs, we waits for Steve to even move, but he stands still. Nervous and awkward with his hands clenched and glued to his sides. Tony began to think and doubt again. "Look, I know I couldn’t get your ‘right partner’ but hey, doesn’t mean you couldn’t dance right?” For some reason, he was feeling so insecure about his words tonight that he keeps re-explaining himself over and over again. “I mean, I know that back then, you had a date who was all perfect and the ‘right partner’ and maybe that’s something you want to leave undisturbed so if you don’t-"

“Well, it is not back then anymore is it, Tony?” The captain quotes Tony, quietly and brings his head up slowly. “She was the most brilliant, gorgeous, charming and strong person I’ve ever met, and she was perfect, but it is unhealthy to keep living in the past. Progress, as you say, is good. The right partner, can change.” Steve shyly takes baby steps towards Tony. “Today, I know someone who is just as brilliant, gorgeous, charming and strong who may just be the right partner."

“Well you know I can send a jet out to go get ‘em, right now if you’d like.” Tony was disappointed, but why the hell was he disappointed. Selfish, that’s it, he liked the time that he was spending with Steve, besides it was him that set it all up and brought it all together. Stopping himself right there, he quelled his own selfishness. This is for Steve.

But he almost panicked when he heard the nervous snickering erupt from America itself.

All fidgety, Steve steps in a little closer, then sticks out an anxious hand. After at least six deep breaths, he gathers up the pluckiness and says, “Tony Stark, may I have the honour of this dance?"

‘You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,’ Tony —for Steve’s nerve’s sake— only thinks. As each second passed while Tony was trying to analyse and function, Steve’s heart beat a decibel louder each time. Neither of them could believe that Steve just called Tony “brilliant, gorgeous, charming and strong” then asked him to “have the honour of this dance."

Finally, the gears began to crank again when Tony’s fingers touched the palm of Steve’s hand.

“Well that was cheesy, but you basically just called me gorgeous and was brave enough to eat my cooking so yes, you’ve earned it Cap,” a witty remark slips effortlessly through Tony’s lips, and Steve’s head falls to the side in disbelief. Yet, now they’re both smiling. Naturally smiling unlike the times Tony stands in front of a crowd and camera, and unlike the times Steve hides his insecurity when he is called a hero. “What are we waiting for, the tunes are getting lonely."

Their hands puzzle into each other’s, and at first they meet errors of accidentally running into each other, stepping on each other or heading in opposite directions, but slowly fall into syncopation. On the fun, jumpy songs they wave their arms, sweeping back and forth the floor with jumps and hops. Tony once jumped up onto the table, and leaped across a few booths before leaping back down, right into Steve’s arms. A couple times they’d swing by, and Tony would grab his glass for a drink, spilling some on the both of them but neither minded. Steve had such a large smile on his face as he mimicked Tony’s odd dance moves, and nearly breaking a table when he jumped on it with Tony. Sometimes, they even fell on the floor, but they stayed there, laughed a bit before resurrecting and starting to dance again.

With the slower songs, Tony would first make a sardonic joke and put on his best mocking face before sarcastically slow dancing, but then would become lost in movement and actually dance with Steve.

It went on like this for hours, morphing from slow songs to fun songs, but the transitions were seamless and time was at lost.

Who knows when the two closed the space between their torsos or when they became comfortable enough to hold each other by the back and waist. The hands that were linked still extended, gracefully brushing against the air as they made infinite circles along the wooden floorboards. Tony was still grinning from his moves in the last song where he jumped onto the bar and slid across it, landing right back next to Steve. Mindlessly, he turns his gaze towards Steve and he’s not even surprised to see that Mr. America was already staring at him. Naturally and comfortably, their eyes latch.

Steve no longer had to watch his feet to know where they were going, he just needed to watch Tony.

“Ever heard of the saying, ‘You’re writing a romance wrong if they have to kiss to show that they’re in love?’” Steve says, calmly and quietly, not wanting to disconcert anything.

“I didn’t know you were a romance novelist."

“I’m not."

“Well then, you wouldn’t have to worry about that then, right?"

“If, per say, we... kissed right now —on our first date— would that waste it?” Steve’s insecurities arose, and a nervousness creeped up his chest.

“Personally, I don’t think I can waste anything with you."

“Well would we be writing the romance wrong then?"

“Writing a romance wrong is writing Fifty Shades of Grey and Twilight, I don’t think we can beat that.” Tony pauses after his statement, then looks at Steve who is sporting a confused face. Remembering the basic story of Captain America, he probably didn’t get the reference. “Kiss me if you want, and then we’ll go home and ask JARVIS."

“Was there a reference?” Steve knew that he was out of date, he has been trying to keep up though, its just kind of hard to learn 60/70 years of history on his schedule.

“Yep.” Tony nodded once, and grinned at Steve who sighs at his own loss in pop culture. Then, they turn their focus on the original subject of the conversation, and both of them were on the edge, breath a little tremulous and feeling a tickle on their palms.

“May I?” Steve asked politely.

“You may.” Tony thanked 1930’s grammar school that they taught the different usages between ‘may’ and ‘can’, but he shouldn’t be thinking about that right now.

Steve took his time —thanks to his anxiousness— tilting his head down so their foreheads touched, but bumping each other a little too hard, they gently laugh. Then, Tony leaned his face up half way, and waited until Steve gathered up the guts to meet him in the middle. He did it, and he regretted nothing when they embraced, and shared an ethereal, ardent kiss.

That night, as according to JARVIS’ calculations, it was a successful date either way and has found convincing evidence to predict that there will be more.

**Author's Note:**

> Congrats, you have survived the writing of the sleep deprived me.
> 
> I hope I didn't bring you any pain, if I did, constructive criticism is always great.
> 
>  
> 
> Have a nice day/night/afternoon! :)


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